Wireless Earphone

ABSTRACT

An audio device includes a Bluetooth receiver, a Bluetooth transmitter, a speaker and a housing. The Bluetooth receiver is capable of wirelessly receiving signals in at least two audio channels. The Bluetooth transmitter is capable of wirelessly retransmitting at least a first one of the two audio channels. The speaker plays the second one of the two audio channels. The housing contains the Bluetooth receiver, the Bluetooth transmitter, and the ear phone. The housing is shaped to fit in or on an ear of a user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of consumer electronicsgenerally, and earphones in particular.

BACKGROUND

High quality Bluetooth audio earphones conform to the Advanced AudioDistribution Profile (A2DP). Currently, so-called Bluetooth “Wireless”headsets use a wireless connection to transfer stereo audio signalsbetween the audio source and a first one of two earphones. The firstearphone contains a wireless receiver. One of the audio channels isplayed in the first earphone, and the other audio channel is provided tothe second earphone by way of a wired link. This increases the physicalsize of the earphone set and makes the earphones more conspicuous anddifficult to use. Also, their large size makes them inconvenient tocarry. A typical stereo Bluetooth earphone set is much larger than atypical flash or hard disk based music player, such as an “IPOD”® (soldby Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).

Bluetooth A2DP signal sources can theoretically support up to sevenearphones—the protocol allows a single Bluetooth master to interleavetraffic between up to seven simultaneously active slaves in a singlepiconet. (A Bluetooth piconet is a temporary wireless network formedbetween Bluetooth devices. Devices participating in a Bluetooth piconetuse the same frequency hop spread spectrum (FHSS) sequence.) Inpractice, however, the maximum number of A2DP links is fewer than seven,because of the lack of bandwidth inside a single Bluetooth piconet. Itis common to aggregate up to five of the available time slots for atransmission to a single slave, reducing the amount of bandwidthavailable for the rest of the slaves. The inventor is not aware of anycommercially available A2DP source that can transmit signals to morethan one A2DP earphone at a time.

Improved Bluetooth earphones are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In some embodiments, an audio device comprises a Bluetooth receivercapable of wirelessly receiving signals in at least two audio channels.A Bluetooth transmitter is capable of wirelessly retransmitting at leasta first one of the two audio channels. A speaker plays the second one ofthe two audio channels. A housing contains the Bluetooth receiver, theBluetooth transmitter, and the ear phone. The housing is shaped to fitin or on an ear of a user.

In some embodiments, an audio device comprises a Bluetooth AdvancedAudio Distribution Profile receiver capable of wirelessly receivingsignals in at least one high-fidelity audio channel. A speaker plays theat least one high-fidelity audio channel. A housing contains theBluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile receiver and the earphone. The housing is shaped to fit in or on an ear of a user.

In some embodiments an audio system comprises first and second audiodevices. The second audio device is mechanically unconnected to, andpositionable independently from, the first audio device. The first audiodevice has a Bluetooth receiver capable of receiving signals in at leasttwo audio channels. The second audio device has a Bluetooth receivercapable of receiving signals in at least a first one of the two audiochannels. The first audio device has a Bluetooth transmitter capable ofretransmitting at least the first one of the two audio channels to thesecond audio device. Each audio device has a speaker. The speaker of thefirst audio device is capable of playing the second one of the two audiochannels. The speaker of the second audio device is capable of playingthe first one of the two audio channels.

In some embodiments, a method of operating audio equipment comprises:receiving signals representing two audio channels wirelessly with afirst Bluetooth audio device; playing a first one of the two audiochannels with the first Bluetooth audio device; transmitting signalsrepresenting the second one of the two audio channels wirelessly to asecond Bluetooth device, the second Bluetooth device mechanicallyunconnected to the first Bluetooth device; and playing the second audiochannel with the second Bluetooth device simultaneously while playingthe first audio channel with the first Bluetooth device.

In some embodiments, a method of operating audio equipment comprises:receiving signals representing two audio channels wirelessly with afirst pair of Bluetooth audio devices by way of a first Bluetoothpiconet; playing the two audio channels with the first pair of Bluetoothaudio devices; and transmitting signals representing the two audiochannels wirelessly from the first pair of Bluetooth audio devices to asecond pair of Bluetooth audio devices by way of a second Bluetoothpiconet, the second pair of Bluetooth audio devices mechanicallyunconnected to the first pair of Bluetooth audio devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing operation of a pair of audiodevices according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing operation of a plurality of pairsof audio devices.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of theretransmitting earphone (RE) shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of the sinkearphone (SE) shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 5A-5C are side, front and rear elevation views of an exemplary earbud (RE or SE) according to one embodiment of the audio device of FIG.1.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an exemplary earphone (RE or SE) according to oneembodiment of the audio device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description. In the description, relativeterms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,”“below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof(e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should beconstrued to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown inthe drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenienceof description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed oroperated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments,coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” referto a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to oneanother either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, aswell as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unlessexpressly described otherwise.

FIG. 1 shows a method of operating audio equipment, including earphones.In some embodiments, the earphones may be divided into two subsets. Afirst subset is referred to herein as “sink earphones” (SE), shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 4, and a second subset is referred to herein as“retransmitter earphones” (RE), shown in FIGS. 1-3. The SE receives anA2DP transmission and plays it. In some embodiments, the SE decodes andplays a single channel of a stereo transmission depending on the systemdesign. The RE plays one channel and transmits the other channel (ortransmits both channels) to a destination. As used herein, the term“earphone” is not limited to a particular shape, and may encompass earbuds (e.g., FIG. 5), over-the-ear configurations (e.g., FIG. 6), orother audio device housing shapes.

The first Bluetooth audio device RE is positioned in, on or proximate toa first ear of a user 101, and the second Bluetooth device SE ispositioned in, on or proximate to a second ear of the first user. Asused herein, the phrase, “in the ear” refers to embodiments in which theentire device fits in the ear, as well as embodiments in which a firstportion of the device fits in the ear and a second portion of the deviceprotrudes from the ear. Signals 103 representing two audio channels arereceived wirelessly by the first Bluetooth audio device RE. A first oneof the two audio channels is played by the first Bluetooth audio deviceRE. Signals representing the second one of the two audio channels aretransmitted wirelessly to a second Bluetooth device SE. The secondBluetooth device SE is not mechanically connected to the first Bluetoothdevice. The second audio channel is played with the second Bluetoothdevice SE simultaneously, while playing the first audio channel with thefirst Bluetooth device RE.

In FIG. 1 the two exemplary audio devices RE, SE are referred to hereinas Completely Wireless high fidelity Bluetooth Audio Earphones (CWBAE).CWBAE do not require wired connections between the earphones RE, SE andthe audio signal source. Moreover, CWBAE do not require any externalwired connection between the left and right earphones RE, SE. One ofordinary skill in the art will understand that an individual CWBAE audiodevice (RE or SE) may include internal wires, conductors and/or printedcircuit wirings within the housing 302, 402, 502 or 602 (shown in FIGS.3-6, respectively) of a single ear bud 500 or over-the-ear type earphone600. CWBAE eliminate the last external connecting wire that was requiredbetween the right and left earphones in conventional “wireless” earphonesets.

The audio system of FIG. 1 includes first and second audio devices REand SE. The second audio device SE is mechanically unconnected to, andpositionable independently from, the first audio device RE. The firstaudio device RE has a Bluetooth receiver 314 (shown in FIG. 3) capableof receiving signals in at least two audio channels. The second audiodevice SE has a Bluetooth receiver 414 (shown in FIG. 4) capable ofreceiving signals in at least a first one of the two audio channels. Thefirst audio device RE has a Bluetooth transmitter 312 (FIG. 3) capableof retransmitting at least the first one of the two audio channels tothe second audio device SE. Each audio device has a speaker 318, 418(FIGS. 3 and 4). The speaker 318 of the first audio device RE is capableof playing the second one of the two audio channels. The speaker 418 ofthe second audio device SE is capable of playing the first one of thetwo audio channels.

As shown in FIG. 1, the audio device RE is capable of operating with twoseparate Bluetooth addresses simultaneously, and is capable ofparticipating in two separate Bluetooth piconets 104, 106 simultaneouslyusing a respectively different Bluetooth address in each of the piconets104, 106. This facilitates the wireless transmission of one (or both)audio channels from the RE to the SE.

FIG. 2 shows a multi-user method of operating the audio devices. At ahigh level, FIG. 2 shows a method of operating audio equipment,comprising: receiving signals representing two audio channels wirelesslywith a first pair of Bluetooth audio devices RE(1), RE(2) by way of afirst Bluetooth piconet 204; playing the two audio channels with thefirst pair of Bluetooth audio devices RE(1), RE(2); transmitting signalsrepresenting the two audio channels wirelessly from the first pair ofBluetooth audio devices RE(1), RE(2) to a second pair of Bluetooth audiodevices RE(3), RE(4) by way of a second Bluetooth piconet 206, where thesecond pair of Bluetooth audio devices RE(3), RE(4) are not mechanicallyconnected to the first pair of Bluetooth audio devices RE(1), RE(2).

In greater detail, signals 203 representing the two audio channels aretransmitted wirelessly from the first Bluetooth device RE(1) coupled toan ear of a first user 201 a to the second Bluetooth device RE(2)coupled to the other ear of the first user 201 a. The second Bluetoothdevice RE(2) is not mechanically connected to the first Bluetooth deviceRE(1). The signals representing the two audio channels are thentransmitted wirelessly from the second Bluetooth device RE(2)to a thirdBluetooth device RE(3) coupled to an ear of a second user 201 b. Thethird Bluetooth device RE(3) is mechanically unconnected to the firstand second Bluetooth devices RE(1) and RE(2). The first audio channel isplayed by the third Bluetooth device RE(3) Signals representing thesecond one of the two audio channels are transmitted wirelessly from thethird Bluetooth device RE(3) to a fourth Bluetooth device RE(4) coupledto a second ear of the second user 201 b. The fourth Bluetooth deviceRE(4) is mechanically unconnected to the first, second and thirdBluetooth devices RE(1)-RE(3). The second audio channel is played by thefourth Bluetooth device RE(4). One of ordinary skill can readilyrecognize how the additional transmissions to the fifth and sixthdevices RE(5) and SE are performed in the same manner.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first Bluetooth device RE(1) is operated in afirst Bluetooth piconet 205. The third Bluetooth device RE(3) isoperated in a second Bluetooth piconet 206. The second Bluetooth deviceRE(2) is operated in both the first and second Bluetooth piconets 205and 206 simultaneously, with the second device RE(2) using differentBluetooth addresses and interfaces in the two piconets.

The RE receives an A2DP stream containing stereo signals from an audiosource and then retransmits a modified (or unmodifed) version of theA2DP stream to another SE or RE. Thus, the RE operates as a Bluetoothrepeater for one or both of the audio channels. In some embodiments(FIG. 2), the RE simultaneously retransmits the full audio stream (bothchannels) at the same time that one channel is being played by the RE.In some embodiments (FIG. 1), the RE only retransmits one of the audiochannels while playing the other audio channel (as shown in FIG. 1).FIG. 1 shows a user wearing a set of earphones, include an SE and an RE.In some embodiments, a delay may be added by the RE or SE to account forthe delay in the audio path from RE to SE or from RE to RE. For example,there may be a signal propagation delay or a delay associated withbuffering data, to ensure that a continuous stream can be played.

The RE has two completely separate Bluetooth physical interfaces. The REhas two separate Bluetooth addresses and participates in two completelyindependent Bluetooth piconets simultaneously. In some embodiments,CWBAE devices form a new piconet for each A2DP stream. In FIG. 1, theaudio source and the RE form a first piconet 104 and the RE and SE forma separate piconet 106.

The RE may be a Bluetooth Master in both piconets, or a slave in bothpiconets, or a slave in one piconet and a master in another piconet.Even if the RE is master in both piconets, the hopping sequence and thelink keys for the Bluetooth link will be different in the two piconets,since the RE uses different Bluetooth addresses and interfaces in thetwo piconets.

In some embodiments (e.g., FIG. 2), CWBAE can seamlessly supportmultiple users 201 a-201 c listening to audio signals from the sameaudio source 102, even if the audio signal source 102 is only capable oftransmitting signals to a single user 201 a. CWBAE can also extend thephysical range of Bluetooth audio transmission without the need for anychange in the existing Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile(A2DP) protocol or the existing audio signal source 102. CWBAE devicesare not subject to the limitations on the number of earphones that canbe supported in a system having a single Bluetooth A2DP source 102. Anynumber of users 201 a-201 c can be supported using CWBAE even if theA2DP audio source is only capable of streaming music to a single one ofthe earphones.

FIG. 2 shows a plurality of retransmitting earphones RE(1) to RE(5).Each audio device RE(1)-RE(5) operates with two separate Bluetoothaddresses simultaneously, and participates in two of the separateBluetooth piconets 204-209 simultaneously using a respectively differentBluetooth address in each of the two piconets. This facilitates thewireless transmission of both audio channels from A2DP audio source 202to RE(1) in piconet 204; from RE(1) to RE(2) in piconet 205; from RE(2)to RE(3) in piconet 206; from RE(3) to RE(4) in piconet 207; from RE(4)to RE(5) in piconet 208; and wireless transmission of one or bothchannels from RE(5) to the SE in piconet 209.

In FIG. 2, the second audio device RE(2) includes two Bluetooth physicalinterfaces 312, 314 (shown in FIG. 3) with respectively differentBluetooth addresses. The Bluetooth transmitter 312 of the first audiodevice RE(1) is capable of transmitting both of the two audio channelsto the Bluetooth receiver 314 of the second audio device RE(2).

The Bluetooth receiver 314 of the second audio device RE(2) is capableof receiving both of the two audio channels from the Bluetoothtransmitter of the first audio device RE(1). The second audio deviceRE(2) is capable of participating in two separate Bluetooth piconets205, 206 simultaneously using a respectively different Bluetooth addressin each of the piconets.

Although FIG. 2 shows an example in which the distal earphone of thelast user 201 c in the chain is an SE, the distal earphone of user 201 cmay alternatively be another RE. In some embodiments (not shown), the REmay include a manually operable transmitter switch that enables the user201 c to turn off the retransmitter interface 312 within the RE toextend the battery life, if the RE is the last audio device in the lastpiconet in the chain.

One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that, by providing twoBluetooth interfaces in each RE device, and operating each RE in arespectively separate piconet, the operating method shown in FIG. 2avoids degradation in available bandwidth hence audio quality thatoccurs with a larger number of slaves with one master in a singlepiconet.

FIG. 2 shows how CWBAE may be used for multiple users listening to musicfrom the same audio source. In FIG. 2, only the first user 201 areceives the audio stream directly from the audio source. For the firstuser 201 a, both the earphones are of the RE type. The left earphoneRE(1) receives the audio stream and retransmits it to the right earphoneRE(2). The right earphone RE(2) retransmits to the left earphone RE(3)of the second user 201 b, and so on. As shown in FIG. 2, a respectivepiconet is provided for each audio stream. Three users are shown forexemplary purposes, but there is no limit on the number of users thancan be chained in the manner shown. The only limiting factor is radiointerference. For a large number of users, the users may be physicallyspread out in such a way that the piconet overlap in space is minimal.Because Bluetooth is intended for relatively short distances, this maybe used in several situations. Also, with multi user CWBAE, music may betransmitted using Bluetooth over much larger distance than would bepossible using A2DP in a single piconet.

Although examples are described above using CWBAE, in other embodiments,the chaining capability can be used for the design of a wirelesslynetworked public address system or a public area music system. Forexample, in a public address system, multiple members of an audience (orthe entire audience) can hear a speaker, or a translation of a speechbeing given, using CWBAE.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary audio device RE, suitable foruse according to the methods of FIGS. 1 and 2. The device RE iscontained within a housing 302, which may be an ear bud type housing 502(FIG. 5) or an over-the-ear type housing 602 (FIG. 6), or anothersuitable design for coupling the device RE in, on or proximate to an earof a user. The device RE has an on-board battery 304, and optionallyincludes a battery charger 306. In alternative embodiments, the battery304 may be a small, replaceable non-proprietary battery, and the batterycharger 306 may be omitted. The exemplary RE device includes a BluetoothA2DP receiver 314 capable of wirelessly receiving signals in at leastone high-fidelity audio channel, and an A2DP transmitter 312 forre-transmitting the received signals. The RE device further includes aspeaker 318 that plays the at least one high-fidelity audio channel.

The receiver interface 312 and re-transmitter interface 314 may bemodules of the same type. For example each of the modules 312 and 314may be a Bluecore-3 Multimedia Bluetooth module sold by CambridgeSilicon Radio, Ltd. of Cambridge, UK. This module includes receive andtransmit functions. Other types of Bluetooth modules may be used,including but not limited to modules implemented in commerciallyavailable IC chips, or an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC). Each of the Bluetooth modules 312 and 314 has a respective RFfront end 308, 310 and a respective antenna element 320, 322.

The inclusion of separate Bluetooth physical interface modules 312 and314 allow operation of the retransmission and receiving functions inseparate piconets, independently of each other. For example, the twoseparate Bluetooth physical interface modules 312 and 314 provide ameans for enabling the device (e.g., RE(2)) to operate as a master in afirst one of the Bluetooth piconets (e.g., 206), while simultaneouslyoperating as a slave in a second one of the Bluetooth piconets (e.g.,205).

Alternatively, the two separate Bluetooth physical interface modules 312and 314 can provide a means for enabling the device (e.g., RE(2)) tooperate as a slave in a first one of the Bluetooth piconets (e.g., 206),while simultaneously operating as a slave in a second one of theBluetooth piconets (e.g., 205).

Alternatively, the two separate Bluetooth physical interface modules 312and 314 can provide a means for enabling the device (e.g., RE(2)) tooperate as a master in a first one of the Bluetooth piconets (e.g.,206), while simultaneously operating as a master in a second one of theBluetooth piconets (e.g., 205).

In the audio system of FIGS. 2 and 3, the second audio device RE(2) hasa Bluetooth transmitter 312 (FIG. 3) capable of transmitting both of thetwo audio channels. The system further comprises a third audio deviceR(3) not mechanically connected to, and positionable independently from,the first and second audio devices R(1) and R(2). The third audio deviceR(3) comprises a Bluetooth receiver 314 capable of receiving signals inthe two audio channels from the second audio device R(2), a Bluetoothtransmitter 312 capable of retransmitting at least the first two audiochannels, and a speaker 318 for playing the second audio channel.

In some embodiments, the RE device has a mechanism for delaying theplaying of the second one of the two audio channels by a delay period.For example, the audio front end module 316 may include a delay circuitthat delays the playing of the signals in the speaker 318 by apropagation time for the retransmitted signals from the audio device REto a recipient of the retransmitted signals (such as an SE or RE deviceworn on the other ear by the same user).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary SE device. In the example ofFIG. 4, the SE comprises a subset of the components included in the REdevice of FIG. 3. Elements of FIG. 4 corresponding to like elements ofFIG. 3 are indicated by the same reference numeral, increased by 100 inFIG. 4. These common elements may include housing 402, on-board battery404, battery charger 406, Bluetooth receive module 414, Audio front end416, earphone speaker 418, RF front end 410 and RF antenna 422. In someembodiments, the Bluetooth receiver module 414 is a fall BlueCore3system by Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd. of Cambridge, UK.

In preferred embodiments, CWBAE earphones do not have any wiredconnections between earphones 500 or 600, or between any of theearphones 500, 600 and the audio signal source 102. This enables designof very elegant and ergonomic wireless earphones.

FIGS. 5A-5C show an exemplary design for an earphone in the form of anear bud 500 containing the modules shown in FIG. 3 or 4, within ahousing 502. Because CWBAE removes the need for any wired connections,the exemplary audio devices can optionally be built as tiny ear buds 500that fit into each ear, and are barely visible to a person in front ofor behind the user. CWBAE earphones 500, 600 can be designed to be muchlighter and smaller physically than typical wireless earphones. This canmake them easier to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Ear bud 500 may have a variety of controls. In one example, as shown inFIGS. 5A to 5C, a push-button control 504 is provided for power/pairingmode selection. For example, a first push of the button 504 can turn onthe device, and subsequent pushes of the button 504 can set the deviceto operate as an RE node in two piconets or as an SE node in theterminal piconet of a chain of piconets. One or more indicator lights503 may be provided. For example, one or more indicator LEDs 503 mayprovide Bluetooth status, charging status, and/or battery level status.A connector 506 may be provided for recharging the battery 304, 404. Forexample, port 506 may be a USB mini-B port, or other interface providinga power connection. A speaker portion 508 may have an ergonomic shapefor fitting comfortably in the ear of the user, and one or more ventsfor audio. This is only one example, and a variety of controls and/orindicators may be included in ear bud 500.

Although the embodiment of FIG. 5 protrudes from the ear of the user,other embodiments may include smaller components to permit the entiredevice to fit within the ear.

FIG. 6 shows another example of an earphone 600 shaped to be worn overan ear of the user. Earphone 600 has a housing 602 containing themodules shown in FIG. 3 or 4. The earphone 600 may include controlssimilar to those included in the ear bud 500, such as a push-buttoncontrol 604 for power/pairing mode selection, a USB mini-B port 608, orother interface providing a power connection for recharging the battery304, 404, and one or more indicator lights 603 such as LEDs that provideBluetooth status, charging status, or battery level status. Because ofthe larger size of housing 602, additional controls and/or indicatorsmay be provided on the housing 602. For example, volume control buttons610 and 612 may be provided.

Earphone 600 may have a clip 616 for supporting the earphone on the earof the user. The clip 616 may optionally be pivotally mounted to a clipbase 617 attached to the housing 602, or to a sleeve (not shown)integrally formed in the housing. A foam covering 618 may optionally beprovided to enhance user comfort. Many other physical configurations maybe used.

Although the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 show earphones thatare positioned in or on an ear of the user, other configurations can beused to position the earphones proximate to the ears of the user. Forexample, earphones according to FIG. 3 or 4 may be built into articlesof apparel (such as hats, eyeglasses, barrettes, scrunchies, wigs,toupees, or the like), or may be inserted in suitably sized pockets insuch articles of apparel. All of these items of apparel can include theearphones according to FIG. 3 or 4 without requiring external wires tomechanically or electrically connect the pair of earphones within theitem of apparel.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplaryembodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claimsshould be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodimentsof the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.

1. An audio device, comprising: a Bluetooth receiver capable ofwirelessly receiving signals in at least two audio channels; a Bluetoothtransmitter capable of wirelessly retransmitting at least a first one ofthe two audio channels; a speaker that plays the second one of the twoaudio channels; and a housing that contains the Bluetooth receiver, theBluetooth transmitter, and the speaker, the housing shaped to fit in oron an ear of a user.
 2. The audio device of claim 1, wherein theBluetooth transmitter is capable of transmitting both of the two audiochannels to a recipient device.
 3. The audio device of claim 1, whereinthe device includes two Bluetooth physical interfaces.
 4. The audiodevice of claim 3, wherein the device is capable of operating with twoseparate Bluetooth addresses simultaneously, and is capable ofparticipating in two separate Bluetooth piconets simultaneously using arespectively different Bluetooth address in each of the piconets.
 5. Theaudio device of claim 4, wherein: the device is capable of operating asa master in a first one of the Bluetooth piconets, while simultaneouslyoperating as a slave in a second one of the Bluetooth piconets.
 6. Theaudio device of claim 4, wherein: the device is capable of operating asa slave in a first one of the Bluetooth piconets, while simultaneouslyoperating as a slave in a second one of the Bluetooth piconets
 7. Theaudio device of claim 4, wherein: the device is capable of operating asa master in a first one of the Bluetooth piconets, while simultaneouslyoperating as a master in a second one of the Bluetooth piconets
 8. Theaudio device of claim 1, wherein the device has a mechanism for delayingthe playing of the second one of the two audio channels by a delayperiod.
 9. The audio device of claim 8, wherein the delay period is apropagation time for the retransmitted signals from the audio device inthe at least two audio channels to propagate from a the Bluetoothtransmitter of the audio device to a recipient of the retransmittedchannel.
 10. The audio device of claim 8, wherein the delay period is apropagation time for the retransmitted signals from the audio device inthe at least one audio channel to propagate from the Bluetoothtransmitter of the audio device to a recipient of the retransmittedchannel.
 11. An audio device, comprising: a Bluetooth Advanced AudioDistribution Profile receiver capable of wirelessly receiving signals inat least one high-fidelity audio channel; a speaker that plays the atleast one high-fidelity audio channel; and a housing that contains theBluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile receiver and the earphone, the housing shaped to fit in or on an ear of a user.
 12. An audiosystem, comprising: first and second audio devices, the second audiodevice being mechanically unconnected to and positionable independentlyfrom the first audio device; the first audio device having a Bluetoothreceiver capable of receiving signals in at least two audio channels,the second audio device having a Bluetooth receiver capable of receivingsignals in at least a first one of the two audio channels; the firstaudio device having a Bluetooth transmitter capable of retransmitting atleast the first one of the two audio channels to the second audiodevice, each audio device having a speaker, the speaker of the firstaudio device capable of playing the second one of the two audiochannels, the speaker of the second audio device capable of playing thefirst one of the two audio channels.
 13. The audio system of claim 12,wherein: the Bluetooth transmitter of the first audio device is capableof transmitting both of the two audio channels to the Bluetooth receiverof the second audio device; and the Bluetooth receiver of the secondaudio device is capable of receiving both of the two audio channels fromthe Bluetooth transmitter of the first audio device.
 14. The audiosystem of claim 13, wherein: the second audio device has a Bluetoothtransmitter capable of transmitting both of the two audio channels; andthe system further comprising a third audio device mechanicallyunconnected to and positionable independently from the first and secondaudio devices, the third audio device comprising: a Bluetooth receivercapable of receiving signals in the two audio channels from the secondaudio device; a Bluetooth transmitter capable of retransmitting at leastthe first two audio channel; and a speaker for playing the second audiochannel.
 15. The audio system of claim 12, wherein the first audiodevice includes two Bluetooth physical interfaces with respectivelydifferent Bluetooth addresses.
 16. The audio system of claim 15, whereinthe first audio device is capable of operating with two separateBluetooth addresses simultaneously, and is capable of participating intwo separate Bluetooth piconets simultaneously using a respectivelydifferent Bluetooth address in each of the piconet.
 17. The audio systemof claim 12, wherein the first audio device has a mechanism for delayingthe playing of the second one of the two audio channels by a delayperiod corresponding to a propagation time for signals of the firstaudio channel from the Bluetooth transmitter of the first audio deviceto the Bluetooth receiver of the second audio device.
 18. A method ofoperating audio equipment, comprising: receiving signals representingtwo audio channels wirelessly with a first Bluetooth audio device;playing a first one of the two audio channels with the first Bluetoothaudio device; transmitting signals representing the second one of thetwo audio channels wirelessly to a second Bluetooth device, the secondBluetooth device mechanically unconnected to the first Bluetooth device;and playing the second audio channel with the second Bluetooth devicesimultaneously while playing the first audio channel with the firstBluetooth device.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprisingpositioning the first Bluetooth audio device in, on or proximate to afirst ear of a first user; and positioning the second Bluetooth devicein, on or proximate to a second ear of the first user.
 20. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: transmitting signals representing the twoaudio channels wirelessly to the second Bluetooth device; transmittingsignals representing the two audio channels wirelessly from the secondBluetooth device to a third Bluetooth device coupled to an ear of asecond user, the third Bluetooth device being mechanically unconnectedto the first and second Bluetooth devices; and playing the first audiochannel with the third Bluetooth device.
 21. The method of claim 20,further comprising: transmitting signals representing the second one ofthe two audio channels wirelessly from the third Bluetooth device to afourth Bluetooth device coupled to a second ear of the second user, thefourth Bluetooth device mechanically unconnected to the first, secondand third Bluetooth devices; and playing the second audio channel withthe fourth Bluetooth device.
 22. The method of claim 21, furthercomprising: operating the first Bluetooth device in a first Bluetoothpiconet; operating the third Bluetooth device in a second Bluetoothpiconet; and operating the second Bluetooth device in both the first andsecond Bluetooth piconets simultaneously with the second device usingdifferent Bluetooth addresses and interfaces in the two piconets. 23.The method of claim 22, wherein: the second Bluetooth device operates asa slave in the first Bluetooth piconet; and the second Bluetooth deviceoperates as a master in the second Bluetooth piconet.
 24. The method ofclaim 22, wherein: the second Bluetooth device operates as a master inthe first Bluetooth piconet; and the second Bluetooth device operates asa master in the second Bluetooth piconet.
 25. The method of claim 22,wherein: the second Bluetooth device operates as a slave in the firstBluetooth piconet; and the second Bluetooth device operates as a slavein the second Bluetooth piconet.
 26. A method of operating audioequipment, comprising: receiving signals representing two audio channelswirelessly with a first pair of Bluetooth audio devices by way of afirst Bluetooth piconet; playing the two audio channels with the firstpair of Bluetooth audio devices; transmitting signals representing thetwo audio channels wirelessly from the first pair of Bluetooth audiodevices to a second pair of Bluetooth audio devices by way of a secondBluetooth piconet, the second pair of Bluetooth audio devicesmechanically unconnected to the first pair of Bluetooth audio devices.